Easy Cabbage Curry
A simple and tasty cabbage curry where shreds of cabbage are sauteed with mustard seeds, turmeric, green chili peppers and ginger-garlic paste. The simple ingredients and their flavors combine to create a nourishing side that's delicious with roti/chapathi or with dal and rice.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 51kcal
Equipment
- Wok or large skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon asafetida (hing, optional)
- 1 small green chili pepper (like jalapeno or serrano, finely chopped or minced. Deseed and remove ribs if sensitive to heat, but a little heat is nice in this simple recipe)
- 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste (If you don't have this crush three cloves of garlic with a ½ inch knob of ginger and use)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ large head cabbage (about 6 cups. Finely chopped into thin, bite-size shreds))
- 2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil over high heat and add the mustard seeds. Let them sputter. Stir in asafetida if using.
- Working over medium low heat now, stir the minced green chili pepper and ginger garlic paste into the wok. Saute them for just about a minute. Finally, turn the heat down to the lowest point on your stove and stir in the turmeric. It's important to turn down the heat at this point because you don't want the powdered spice to burn. Saute the turmeric for just about 30 seconds.
- Add the cabbage to the wok along with half a teaspoon of salt and quickly mix it all together. Turn the heat back up to medium-high and saute until the cabbage begins to soften.
- Cover the wok or skillet with a lid. Use a rimmed lid if possible--one that can hold some water in it. This is a neat technique used in Indian homes to steam veggies without adding water directly to them, which would dilute their flavor. Pour a couple of tablespoons of water on the lid carefully, making sure that it stays on the lid and doesn't get on the stove. If you don't have a rimmed lid that can hold the water, just keep the heat turned to the lowest point and check the veggies frequently to make sure they don't burn.
- Stir the cabbage occasionally. How long you want to cook the cabbage for is up to you. Some like the cabbage to retain a bit of al dente texture, others, like me, like it soft and silky. I cook the cabbage for around 10 minutes, but for a more toothsome texture you can turn off the heat sooner. You can also let the cabbage brown at the bottom of the wok--as counterintuitive as that may sound it actually adds nice flavor to the curry.
- Add salt and finish with cilantro. Once the cabbage has cooked to your liking check salt and add more if needed. Stir in the cilantro. Serve hot.
Notes
- The cabbage curry is delicious with roti/chapati and/or a simple dal like my Dal Tadka.
- To store the recipe, keep leftovers in the fridge for up to three days. For longer storage you can freeze the curry in an airtight container for up to three months. Thaw and reheat the frozen curry in the microwave before serving. Or let it thaw and then reheat in a wok on the stovetop.
- You can add one or more of these optional ingredients to add even more flavor to the cabbage curry (see more details in the optional ingredients section above): Curry leaves, onions, urad dal, green peas, garam masala/curry powder, grated, unsweetened coconut or coconut milk, and lemon.
- If you cook this cabbage curry and love it please be sure to leave a five-star rating!
Nutrition
Calories: 51kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Potassium: 186mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 112IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg